STI ends the week in the black, following gains in NODX figures and air travel bubble plans

SINGAPORE shares rebounded on Friday to end the week in the black, as investors reacted positively to the country's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) figures in September.

The benchmark Straits Times Index (STI) climbed 0.37 per cent or 9.4 points to close at 2,533.02.

On Friday morning, Enterprise Singapore announced that the country's non-oil domestic exports (NODX) rose 5.9 per cent year on year due mainly to an increase in electronics shipments from a year ago.

Wilmar International was top performer for the day among the STI constituents, gaining 2.98 per cent or S$0.13 to close at S$4.49.

Shares of Singapore Airlines (SIA) climbed 0.57 per cent or S$0.02 to close at S$3.51, following Thursday's news of the in-principle agreement of the Singapore-Hong Kong air travel bubble.

Bloomberg reported on Friday that the cost of air tickets between the two cities jumped within 24 hours of the news. The cheapest price for an SIA return economy seat to Hong Kong was S$558 on Friday morning till the end of December, up from S$400 on Thursday afternoon when the news was announced, the airline's website showed.

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However, JPMorgan analyst Raisah Rasid said in a note on Friday that "the path of recovery in the services-producing sector, particularly in the context of the resumption of international travel and related services, which remains highly dependent on the path of Covid-19, bears watching".

In its last day of trading, units of CapitaLand Commercial Trust (CCT) gained 0.61 per cent or S$0.01 to close at S$1.65.

The Singapore Exchange said on Thursday that effective Oct 19, CCT will be deleted from the STI in preparation for its merger with CapitaLand Mall Trust, while Keppel DC Reit, the largest stock on the STI Reserve as at Oct 14, is scheduled to join the STI.

Advancers outnumbered decliners 246 to 177 for the day, with 1.07 billion securities worth S$1.22 billion changing hands.

Across the region, Asian markets ended the week mixed.

The Hang Seng Index gained 0.94 per cent or 228.25 points to close at 24,386.79, while the Shanghai Composite Index inched up 0.13 per cent or 4.18 points to close at 3,336.36.

Meanwhile, the Nikkei 225 Index slipped 0.41 per cent or 96.60 points to close at 23,410.63.